P e a k
p e r f o r m a n c e
i n s t i t u t e
Jan ford Mustin, ph.D.
Psy c ho l ogist
Positive Psychology: A New Millennium, New Possibilities
for
NSIDE MD Magazine
by
Jan Ford Mustin, Ph.D.
Psychologist
As we enter a new millennium, we are faced with a confluence of events and dynamics that
ready us for a Positive Psychology, a psychology that helps us foster excellence. While the
term “psychology” dates to the mid 17th century from the root words “psyche” and “logia”
(study of the soul), over the years it has assumed a distinctly negative orientation towards
mental illness. Since World War II, psychology as a discipline has been fueled by federal funds
to provide healing services to veterans of the war and has taken a distinctly reparative approach
within the medical or disease model. The Bible of our discipline, the Diagnostic Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV), classifies these mental disorders as if it comprised the
last word on the variety of human experience While psychology has made great gains in
alleviating suffering in a variety of mental, behavioral and emotional areas, this narrow focus on
the disease model has been at the expense of our learning more about those qualities that
contribute to other aspects of being human, including vibrant health, creativity, meaning and
fulfillment.
I remember well as I was completing my doctoral studies at the University of Texas that one of
my favorite books was The Myth of Mental Illness by Thomas Szasz, M.D. I found it refreshing
to consider a thoughtful and scholarly challenge to our bias towards pathology that many have
attributed to “physics envy” among professionals in the mental health field. Even at that time, I
found myself a maverick in the profession with my affinity for the positive and life-affirming
practices and philosophies of pioneers Alfred Adler, Carl Jung, and the very generous vision of
“Third Way” psychologists Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow. Now, three decades later, it is
most encouraging that we are finally embracing this quest for “the study of the soul,” what
makes us human, transcendent and great. The recent Millennial Issue of The American
Psychologist was dedicated to Positive Psychology.
As a clinical psychologist in private practice I have always held firm to the belief that my
clients are capable of overcoming and transformation and that their lives are filled with
meaning. I have approached even the most adverse challenges from this positive perspective,
helping them pivot from an orientation of disorder or disease and to one of curiosity and
learning. I find that one need not turn a blind eye to a real condition or disorder in order to
reframe it as an opportunity. I have seen literally thousands of clients make distinct, even
profound and positive changes when they work within a teleological or goal-oriented model, as
opposed to a repair or deficit-oriented one. Believing firmly in Marshal McLuhan’s adage, the
medium is the message, I took the name of Peak Performance Institute for my practice several
years ago.
This new century affords us the technology with which to bring a positive and preventive
approach to health care across disciplines as the personal computer and the Internet facilitate
and speed this progression at an astonishing rate. Advances in our understanding of
neurochemistry and neurobehavioral medicine are making it possible for the public to be selfeducated and to demand of professionals the very latest in self-care and personal and
professional enhancement. Our fascination with the extreme makeover phenomenon
transcended plastic surgery long ago. As a culture, we now nurture our children into gifted and
talented programs, world-class competitions and high self-esteem. Elite athletes and corporate
giants set the pace for reaching their personal best through mental fitness training and personal
or executive coaching. The consumer demands a Positive Psychology and the response is the
burgeoning of innovative and integrated approaches to helping people reach their goals.
My own practice of Positive Psychology integrates rocket science with tradition providing more
data-based sources of information and input than I ever would have thought possible. We create
a Peak Performance Profile for each client to help them shift their paradigm from deficitoriented to possibility-oriented; whether they are doing remedial work or not, the focus is on the
positive. Our neuroscience component includes Peak Performance Training labs where clients
see their own brain maps on giant screens and train their brains playing video games without a
joystick. With the Quantitative Electroencephalogram (QEEG), they are able to train a variety
of mental and emotional conditions such as ADHD, anxiety or depression in a non-invasive
manner. The clients presenting with depression or ADHD are also interested in their golf games
or to growing more profitable companies. Our positive perspective on their goals is the key.
Positive Psychology, with its roots in the seminal work of the father of psychology, William
James, is still in its infancy. Nonetheless, I find it deeply rewarding and gratifying that the trend
towards inclusion of other professions, faith in the intelligence of the individual client and belief
in the ultimate rightness of this positive approach, is taking grip at this time. The “vertical
distance” of condescension between practitioner and patient is yielding to the horizontal
relationship between professional and consumer, fostering greater responsibility on the part of
the client and humility and wonder on the part of the psychologist.
Dr. Jan Ford Mustin, Ph.D. is the Clinical Director of the Peak Performance Institute in Austin,
Texas and has practiced Positive Psychology for over twenty-five years. She is the author of
Removing Your Roadblocks to Love, Happiness and Success and is a popular speaker and
broadcast personality on both radio and television. For more information about the Peak
Performance Institute please visit the web site at www.mustin.com or www.peakinstitute.com.
Copyright 2007. All rights reserved by Mustin & Associates